[Mpls] Vigil Sunday for N Mpls murders

[David Brauer]

Jim Graham writes:

> In answer to David Brauer query on the subject, whether it's 2 million or
3
> million for fifty additional police officers this year is not the
important
> factor.  The important factor is for this community of Minneapolis to be
> individually as concerned about the safety and well being of children and
> families in poor impacted neighborhoods as they are for their own children
> and families.  I can absolutely guarantee everyone that if drug dealers
were
> doing business and shooting people down the Minnehaha Creek as they are on
> 26th from Penn to Lyndale, or in Kenwood as they are on Lake and
Bloomington
> that our good "leaders" would use a little "leadership" to find three
> million dollars in a week.  It would be a top priority!

This answers my first question: in Jim's view, public safety deserves 50
cops, who would have stopped/reduced the crime problem in harder-hit
neighborhoods.

However, it doesn't answer my second question: if you buy those 50 cops,
what do we buy less of and/or what do we tax more? 

> David Brauer questions how Lisa McDonald can do two things as she answered
> when asked, "What are your priorities for the office you are running for?"
> And she answered, " Public safety.  Restoring our police and fire
> departments to full force .  Moderate budgets.  Making sure our citizens'
> tax dollars are spent wisely."   There is NO discrepancy in making these
> statements together in my opinion.  I can think of no "wiser" spending of
> our tax dollars than in giving even those from poor communities equal
> protection under the law.  Lisa McDonald at least understands what the
first
> responsibility of City Government is.  It is "Public Safety"!!! An
> understanding that seems sadly lacking from some of our leadership, who
have
> allowed the present disgrace to occur.

I'm sorry, but this still avoids the second question. If you make the top
priority - cops - a more sizable top priority, it has to be paid for.

If we pay for it with service cuts elsewhere, it could be something else
important to central-city neighborhoods. That's why it's important that 2005
candidate should at least reconcile the books along with their priorities.
We are dealing - massively - with the failure to do that pre-2001. That's
one reason Jim's beloved NRP will have $66 million, not $200 million as
promised, in Phase II.

Something will have to give. I think it's fair to ask candidates what it
will be.

(Again, not singling out Lisa. Every candidate has to answer this, in my
humble opinion.)

David Brauer
Kingfield